Should I take this rabbit?

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skysoblue

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Its kind of a long story, but there are somerabbits being kept in rather bad conditions, and I was thinking abouttrying to talk the owner into giving me one. All of the rabbits (about6-7) are in 2x2 foot wire hutches. They usually have a bunch of hay, acup of food (alfalfa pellets, I think) and a bottle of water, and arecovered with a horse blanket in winter if its supposed to get cold.They are never let out, never get any other food (except once in awhileI take them a bag of carrots), don't have any toys, and are neverhandled (except sometimes I pet them).

In particular, there is one really old black and white rabbit. The ladywho owns them says that he was six years old when she got him, and shehas had him for 6 years, so he would be 12, and thats old for a rabbit,isn't it? I was petting him today when I felt how skinney he was, andhis one eye is always runny.

I feel really bad for these rabbits, but in particular the old one. Ihave owned a rabbit before, so I'm not really sure about how to takecare of a rabbit, but I would at least let him stay inside, and let himrun around in the house some (and give him other foods, and toys).

I guess I am just looking for some guidance here. I already have quitea few animals of my own, but they are all indoor, vetted, and welltaken care of. How much work would taking on a rabbit be?
 
Ok, I will try to take him. If the owner saysno, maybe lets say a dog got to them and tipped his cage over onenight, causing him to escape? ;) But that would seem like too much of acoincidence... maybe a dog tipped his cage before I got the chance toask to take him, what do you think? I know its not 'right,' but soisn't her keeping her buns like this...

I have called animal control before, but they said that as long as therabbits have food, water, shelter, and aren't in immediate need ofmedical attention, they won't do anything. :(

Ok, I am reading that rabbits need to be spayed/neutered. Should a 12year old rabbit be put through surgurey? I have no problem with himbeing neutered (all of my pets are, except the fish and some of therats) but I know surgurey is riskier with older animals.
 
At his age, no, no surgery.

He may be territorial about his cage (since it's all he knows), but I'dbet he'd be really thankful to get out of the place he's innow.

I can't advise you one way or the other about "taking him", but if theowner truly doesn't care about them, you can probably get him byoffering $5.
 
She claims to love her animals, and wouldn't let one of my friends have one of her goats. (She has other animals.)

He is fine with me putting my hand in the cage and petting him, and hasnever acted territorial. If he does develop issues, I am willing towork with him. I nearly always get my pets as rescues, so I am used tohaving to work with them sometimes.
 
If you've been around a lot and then he goes "missing", the owner is going to suspect you, don't you think?

I would just talk to her and say that you really feel a connection withhim and he doesn't have much time left and you'd really like to havehim. Ask her if there's any way she'd part withhim.

Don't accuse her of being a bad owner or question her about his health or she will probably get defensive.
 
I don't think she would suspect me, because shesused to loosing an animal now and then due to local wildlife, and neverreally seems to care.

I would really perfer to have her permission to have him, I would just hate it if I asked and she refused. :(
 
If she refuses to let you take him, that's herright. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble for stealinghim. He's her property and it would be stealing.

I completely understand how you feel. I'd be dying to get him out of there, too.

But, if he's that old, she must care about him or he wouldn't bearound.He's too old to breed and he wouldn't reallyhave any otherpurpose, you know?
 
She dosen't use him for breeding, in fact I believe they are all males except the one aggresive female she does breed.

She breeds most of her animals for the meat trade (bleh!), but some arejust pets. She claims to love her animals, but she dosen't keep them invery good conditions, and she even claims to love the cows and goats,who she breeds to sell to the market.
 
Another question, if I get this rabbit, he willlive in my room. My room is also the home of two cats and some rats.(The rats are caged, and the cats are loose.) I read that a rabbit candie from fright. Will the cats frighten him to death?
 
By all means, try to get him. Wheneveryou talk with this woman, don't say anything about them beingmis-treated. Just say that you really like him and thatyou'ld like
to give him a home for his final days. Do not mention love!! She will resent this as
she thinks that what she is doing is loving them.

He's skinny because he's old. This is what usually happens, towards the end.

If she does allow you to have him, washing his eye with a little Salinesolution that is used for our contacts should do the trick.Neutering, at his age, is out of the question.

I just had my little 14 year old girl, Dominique, PTS. In herlast 6 months she had lost a lot of weight and her arthritis had becomepainful. Metacam helped to keep the pain away. Inthe end, she had a stoke and it was necessary to help her go to the"Bridge".
This broke my heart.

She, too, was a hutch bun before coming here. Her last yearswere spent being warm, well fed, clean, and loved. I miss her.

Whichever way it turns out, your little guy will be waiting for YOU at the "bridge", not her.

Charlotte
 
I have two cats and three bunnies...the bun should be just fine around a cat.

They're much more brave than you would think. My girls(bunnies) go RIGHT up to my cats, often offending their Kitty Code ofConduct (as I like to call it)...and that's the only time they getsmacked by a non-claw bearing paw (as in, the cat just hits something,not doing it to claw that something). Other than that, thecats mostly just stay clear.

Just keep an eye out and supervise their meeting and such...and be sureto keep your cat's claws trimmed. You might even want to getsome galvanized wire mesh to put around the cage (can find it at HomeDepot and the likes, called "hardware cloth" there).

There are quite a few members here that have cats and bunnies...they're actually quite a good match! :)
 
When we got our bun I was worried the cats wouldchase him...if anything it was the opposite! Although only half theirsize, Little Hoppy Hoppy would chase the cats and scare them! He madefriends with our youngest cat (who at 4 is still very playful), andthey became great friends. When we lost Little Hoppy Hoppy, Mushu (thecat) really, really missed him! You could see him looking for his bunnyfriend :(

I think a few times Little Hoppy Hoppy was hurt by the cats (his ownfault!) as he did get the occasional scratch. One day, when he alreadyhad an infected eyelid (looked really awful!) he bailed up one of thecats in a corner, and the cat scratched him right on top of hisinfected eyelid!! After that I had to keep the two of them separatedfor awhile. I had to protect the bunny from himself!!

If the bunny had left the cats alone, they would have left him alone.And I think an older bunny isn't about to go attacking cats!

Fiona
 
From what i gather from your post the only thingthis lady is really doing "wrong" is the cages are to small. Rabbitsdon't live to be 12 unless they are taken care IMHO. It would certainlybe good for the old fellow to be in a nice cosy house. i would assumethat to change his diet at his age would do more harm than good. heprobably has been eating just hay and pellets his wholelife.Not everybody buys their rabbits toys and feeds themtreats. I don't but it doesn't mean i love them any less than someonewho does although i do give them grass mats and things tochew.My rabbits live outside, eat pellets, hay and get waterto drink and they are well sheltered. They don't get out of their cagesmuch but they have big cages. ( i built bigger) with room torun.My rabbits are all happy and healthy,theirbinkies tell me so. "rather bad conditions" is a matter ofopinion I guess.
 
jil101ca wrote:
From what i gather from your post the only thing this ladyis really doing "wrong" is the cages are to small. Rabbits don't liveto be 12 unless they are taken care IMHO. It would certainly be goodfor the old fellow to be in a nice cosy house. i would assume that tochange his diet at his age would do more harm than good. he probablyhas been eating just hay and pellets his whole life.Noteverybody buys their rabbits toys and feeds them treats. I don't but itdoesn't mean i love them any less than someone who does although i dogive them grass mats and things to chew.My rabbits liveoutside, eat pellets, hay and get water to drink and they are wellsheltered. They don't get out of their cages much but they have bigcages. ( i built bigger) with room to run.My rabbits are allhappy and healthy,their binkies tell me so. "ratherbad conditions" is a matter of opinion I guess.
Click to expand...

I know with myrabbits, they crave attention. All 3 are housedindoors, and we have an acre of land fenced in. The buns each get time,usually an hour or two each, to go and free-run around the yardsupervised. They love it. Inside, they each have a big cage and loadsand loads of toys. They also get to run around the house quite a bit aswell, and get bonding time with me each nightby roaming mybed and playing under the comforter while I'm in bed on my laptop. Myrabbits actually have a toy box, filled with bunny toys, stuffedanimals, rattly toys with bells, ect. They would probably go insanewithout their toys. It keeps them entertained and happy. Without toysand a stimulating environment, they can easily become very bored, whichisn't a happy life to lead.

I think the rabbit in question that sky wants to rescue is beingneglected. Pet rabbits should have warm, loving environments with humaninteraction. Not living in solitary with no outside interaction orplaces to explore. Bunnies are very inquisitive and intelligentcreatures and should be given more than just a hutch.

Also, age is not a factor as to how well the rabbit was taken care of.This, I know for a fact. I worked at a pet store for a few years and wehad breeder mice live to 3 and 4 years old. The lifespan is around 2.The mice were kept in ammonia filled tanks from all the urine,overcrowded conditions, horrible food, dirty water. It was pathetic,but in the end, some ended up living twice the average lifespan. Itwasn't conditions, it was genetics. Not to say all rabbits are thisway, but a rabbit can still live to be 12 and not be living in idealconditions.

I believe to own a rabbit, you should do more with it than just throwit in a hutch and only give it attention when you are feeding it andchanging its water. I couldn't imagine NOT interacting with my babieseach and every day. They bring too much joy to my life. JMHO.
 
Thank you everyone for the replies.

I was being polite when I said 'rather bad conditions.'

Imagine living all day, every day, for your entire life exactly thesame. You live in a bathroom-sized room with wire floor, and you arebare-footed. You eat the exact same food every meal, every day, yourwhole life. The flies are terrible, your nails are overgrown, itconstantly stinks (you live right next to the hog pen), you never getyour hair brushed or get a bath. You never go to the doctor- if you arestrong, you live, if you are weak, you die. The room is bare except foryour food dish with food, the water bottle, and some wool blankets. Nostimulation or interaction. Once in awhile you get shoved into anotherroom, exactly the same, while the blankets are changed in the old room,then you are shoved into the old room again.

But thats ok because your owner loves you. Maybe. :(

(Not saying thats how your rabbits are treated, jil, I was describing the lady's rabbits.)



I think its genetics about the rabbit living long. She had a babyrabbit given to her (when people get tired of thier rabbits, they givethem to her) and he died in about a year, for no apparent reason. :(
 
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